The One Without The Ski Trip
"The One Without The Ski Trip" is the seventeenth episode of the third season of Friends, which aired on March 6, 1997. Plot It's a week after Ross and Rachel's break-up and they even can't stand being in the room as each other, each blaming the other for their separation while their friends are caught in the middle as they try to keep them apart as much as possible. Chandler finds the break-up of the two friends particularly stressful as it reminds him of his parents divorce and he starts smoking again. When Ross asks the guys to hang out with him, they have to dismiss the idea of attending a fashion show with Rachel. To get back at him, she invites them over to her sister's cabin for a ski trip, which the guys agree to instead of spend a LaserDisc weekend marathon playing darts with Ross. The guys leave for the cabin but they have to pull in so that Chandler can go to a restroom. Rachel, however, closes the door of the cab, which has the keys locked inside. After some arguing, Joey gets Phoebe to give him her bra, pulls out the iron and picks the car lock. Everyone is about to leave, but the car runs out of gas. Saddened and alone, Ross seeks solace in Carol and Susan at their apartment. Only Carol's there, so he opens up his heart to her about him and Rachel breaking up, even though Carol has clearly set up a special romantic dinner to celebrate the first time she slept with Susan. Also, Ross tells her an edited version of the story which neglects to mention that he cheated on Rachel, instead casting her as the guilty party for cheating on him with Mark. Meanwhile, Monica distracts Rachel and Phoebe calls Ross for help. Carol intercepts the call just as Ross is mocking Phoebe not to help them and sends him off with her car so that he can help his friends. However when Carol mentions the story that Ross told her, Phoebe sets her straight over the phone and Carol is, of course, furious and tries to mock Ross by telling him "you slept with another woman", to which Ross replies: "Oh, you're, you're... one to talk". Joey and Chandler's search for help does not go well, and the guys have to wait for Ross. In the hope of finding the group, Joey arranges some twigs to read PLEH, which is HELP spelled backwards "so that the helicopters can read it from the air". Eventually, Ross finds the guys and fills their tank. Rachel leaves without a sign of gratitude, sparking up the fight again. Phoebe interrupts them and asks them to find a way to be together without putting friends in the middle, or else they can forget about everyone hanging out together. Ross and Rachel promise to try and do so, and Ross lets the guys go on the trip. As he's about to turn around, his car battery falls flat. Ross manages to visit Carol in the middle of the night, but Carol, who's not exactly sleeping, closes the door in Ross' face. Cast and Crew Main Cast Jennifer Aniston - Rachel Green Courtney Cox - Monica Geller Lisa Kudrow - Phoebe Buffay Matt LeBlanc - Joey Tribbiani Matthew Perry - Chandler Bing David Schwimmer - Ross Geller Supporting Cast Jane Sibbett - Carol Willick Crew Directed By: Sam Simon Written By: Shana Goldberg-Meehan & Scott Silveri Trivia * This is the first time Chandler has smoked since "The One With The Thumb" (S1E3). * This is the only appearance of Monica in Phoebe's cab. *This is the second episode that has no scenes inside Monica's Apartment. The first one was "The One With The Birth" (S1E23). *This is the first time Ross is portrayed as a cheapskate. * This episode reveals that Chandler started using humor as a defense mechanism as a result of his parents divorcing. **The first time Chandler mentions the use of humor as a defense mechanism is to Susie Moss in "The One After The Superbowl, Part 2" (S2E13). * The dressing gown that Carol is wearing at the end of the episode is the same one that Monica wore in "The One With The Prom Video" (S2E14). Rachel also wore it in The Pilot. Goofs * When Phoebe is able to get back into the cab after the keys were locked in, she starts up the car, but this part is obviously sped up. Phoebe says "okay" which could have been a voice over, for her mouth is not moving during this part of the scene. * Near the end of the rest stop scene, a camera man is visible on the left side of screen after Rachel says "Thank you." Episode Navigation Category:Friends Episodes Category:Season 3 Category:Friends Category:Chandler bing Category:Images of Chandler